Poisons Price
by gunman
Summary: An enemy from Shenhua's past poisons Rock in order to get revenge on the Taiwanese assassin after seeing the pair together, leading to a fight for the antidote. Rock/Shenhua Lemon.


_**POISONS PRICE**_

by Gunman

Disclaimer: I do not own Black Lagoon or it's characters. And I Still Haven't Seen The Anime!

Summary: An enemy from Shenhua's past poisons Rock in order to get revenge on the Taiwanese assassin after seeing the pair together, leading to a fight for the antidote.

Authors Note: I got the idea for this story after watching the Chock Socky Chooks episode: Kobura Strikes, where the Chooks are poisoned by an enemy from Chuckie Chans past.

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Leigharch drove the green jeep through the dense jungles towards the base of the small mountain. He was going at full speed, rock and roll blasting all the way.

"Turn Noise Down!" Shenhua shouted to the blond-haired Irish junkie

"Sorry." Leigharch said sheepishly and turned down the radio.

Shenhua just shook her head as she sat in the back seat of the jeep, tending to the Japanese salaryman who was sweating bullets now.

"Rest, Rocky. Poison make you tired, weak. Strength come back soon." Shenhua said.

"I just don't understand how this happened. What did I do to deserve this?" Rock asked.

"Nothing. Shenhua's fault." she said, wiping his brow again with a small towel.

"Your fault?" he asked, barely able to focus on her calm greenish eyes beneath her long dark hair.

"It long time ago. Shenhua student of master. Other student... Brina."

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(**FLASHBACK, 15 years ago, Taiwan**)

In the courtyard of the temple, two women were brandishing their curved swords, glaring at each other before leaping forward. Sparks flew as their blades met, only the woman with the short dark hair and green eyes moving back.

"Your defense is weak, Shenhua!" Brina shouted, pushing her advantage.

"You just think that, Brina!" Shenhua said calmly as she moved backwards, of her own volition, blocking every strike, until she ducked and rolled forward, evading the blade that got stuck in a tree she had been leading Brina towards.

The ponytailed woman grunted in frustration as she tried to pull her blade from the tree, only to feel a shape piece of metal on her neck.

"You lose, I win, end of training." Shenhua said.

"Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!" Brina growled as she spun around and tried stab Shenhua with her other blade, only to find it blocked by Shenhua's own second sword. "Why you goddamned stinking stuck-up arrogant bit-"

"BRINA! SHENHUA!" a stern voice shouted.

The pair stopped fighting and turned towards the elderly man who was suddenly standing before them. They released their weapons, turned and bowed to the man.

"Too long has this rivalry gone on. It is obvious that a final test is needed, to tame your anger Brina, and your overconfidence Shenhua!"

"Yes, master." the pair said.

"I did not agree to train you in Tai Chi Chuan so that you could kill each other using kukri knives."

"Yes, master."

"The test I have set up for you involves three parts. First you must walk across the wire of fear with the rock of hope. Secondly, you must pluck the flower of virtue from the icy peak of terror. Lastly, you must grasp the deadly cobra, from the pit of despair."

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Shenhua and Brina embarked upon their masters test, first coming to a wide ravine where a steel wire is set up.

The first test: to walk across a single, long piece of rope that was stretched across a deep ravine. Shenhua won this test because she was able to balance herself more than Brina did.

The second test: to pick a red flower from the top of a high peak. Shenhua won this test because Brina's attempt to collapse the mountain down under her backfired.

The third test: to enter a cobra's nest and not get bitten. Shenhua managed to get this test right, by mimicking the motions and actions of the snake, twisting and gyrating her hands in a dancing like motion.

However Brina's anger made her an easy target for the cobra's, when she tried to hurt Shenhua and didn't pay attention to the snakes, resulting in her getting bitten by several of them.

Shenhua and her master were able to administer the antidote quick enough to save her life, however, the damage had already been done. The cobra's venom had already turned her heart and mind black as coal. And considering it was already dark to begin with, the venom made it worse.

It also deadened her reflexes and gave her a lisp.

Blaming Shenhua for her condition, she swore revenge and was banished by their master.

But while Shenhua's memory of Brina faded over time, Brina never forgot Shenhua, returning for her after 15 long years.

Having discovered Shenhua's location in Roanapur, Thailand, she silently stalked her one time friend and was actually surprised that she had a 'boyfriend'. Namely Rock, when she saw them having lunch together at a local café. It was actually a business-lunch, but Brina couldn't have known that. Not with the looks that Shenhua kept giving the handsome salaryman.

Once Shenhua had left the café, Brina followed Rock as he was heading back to the Lagoon Traders office. She grabbed him and pulled him into an alleyway where no one else could see them.

"Who... who are you?" Rock gasped.

"My name issss Cobrina! You are Sssshenhua'ssss boyfriend." the woman, covered by thick robes and a hood, said.

"Boyfriend? Uh.. Actually we're just friends." he protested.

"Ssssstill... you will give to her a messssssage, from me." she said, holding up a snake in her arm.

"What the... AAAH!" he cried out as the poisoned fangs sank into his arm.

After the attack, it didn't take Rock long to find Shenhua and deliver to her Cobrina's message. As for Shenhua, she was confused as to who this 'Cobrina' was, until she saw the letter that she had stuck in Rock's shirt and recognized the handwriting.

Following the directions to the densest part of the Thailand jungle, the trio came upon an ancient looking temple that had been abandoned for the latter half of the millennium.

"Leigharch. Stay in car. Watch Rock." she said as she stepped out of the jeep and walked up the temple steps.

Rock just watched as the curvaceous Taiwanese assassin headed into the temple, knowing full well that it had to be a trap. He kept his eyes trained on the ankle-length reddish-purple cheongsam she wore, cut high over the thighs, and the loose, long-sleeved white jacket that she wore. Once her clothes were out of sight, Rock looked over to Leigharch, the Irish junkie seemingly unfazed by what was going on around him.

"Shouldn't you be... worried... about her?" Rock asked.

"Nah. She's come through worse than this. She'll be good." Leigharch replied as he popped a pill. "Want one? Maybe calm your nerves a little."

"Thanks. I'm good." Rock said with a deep sigh.

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Shenhua walked into the temple and looked around, seeing nothing but a lot of jungle-growth and the ancient stone statues that looked like snakes. She walked through the main corridor of the temple until she came to a large room where several candles were already lit. The room was large and circular, several large cracks in the floor with an opening in the roof to let both sun and moonlight into the chamber. At the far end of the room, opposite the door, was a large stone alter, big enough for a person, maybe two, to lay down upon. All around the room were several snake-like statues. Shenhua knew that this was where she was meant to be, if the lit candles were any indication.

"Welcome... old friend." a soft hissing voice said from the shadows.

Shenhua turned around to see a robed figure step out of the shadows next to one of the statues and approach her.

"Brina?" she gasped.

"NO! Not Brina! That perssson was desstroyed long ago! You sssaw to that!"

"It not Shenhua fault you get snake bite!" the Taiwanese woman stated.

"SSSILENCE! I did not call you here to reminisssce about the passst. I came here... to Kill You!"

"Then give antidote! Rock not part of this. Let him go!"

"Of course, old friend." she said, taking a small vial out of her robe and setting it down on the base of the statue. "But firssst, you mussst defeat me!"

Shenhua quickly pulled two knives from the band on her thigh and hurled them at Cobrina. The blades pierced the robe and stuck it to the wall, only to have Shenhua gasp when she realized that her target was not in the robe.

She turned to the side as a flying body slammed into her feet-first, knocking her down. Shenhua regained her senses as she turned to look up, and gasped at what she saw.

Standing before her was not her old friend, but a shapely and athletic woman with no intricate snake-skin tattoo's all over her body. She was dressed in what looked like a strange leather leotard and a pair of boots. This revealed a lot of her skin, which was apparently tattooed across every inch of her body like that of a snake. Her eyes were now red, meaning she probably wore contacts, and her tongue, when she opened her mouth, was now segmented at the tip. Her teeth, actually her canines, looked like they had been filed down to sharp points, giving her the look more of a vampire than a snake.

"I mussst look quite different to you now, old friend. I'm not sssurprisssed. I've had a lot of work done to become the very creature you created me to be!" she hissed

"This solve nothing! Give antidote!" Shenhua said as she rose up off her feet.

"You are in no posssition to give me ordersss, witch! Now You Die At The Handsss of COBRINA!" the woman cried out as she lunged the Taiwanese knife fighter.

Shenhua pulled her kuri knives from her jacket and deflected Cobrina's own blades. Uninterested in where she had been hiding them, Shenhua fought hard against her former friend who attacked with amazing quickness and ferocity.

The pair clashed for several minutes, unable to gain the advantage against the other until Shenhua doubled back and hurled her knives at Cobrina. The snake-woman hissed as she dodged the blades, only to realize too late she had been tricked as Shenhua herself flew through the air and kicked her square in the chest.

"OMPH!" Cobrina gasped as she hit the ground.

"Enough! Rock dying! Antidote!" Shenhua shouted as she ran over to where the vial was resting.

She only got halfway there when a whip lashed out and wrapped around her legs, bringing her down.

"You didn't think it wasss going to be ssso easssy, did you?" Cobrina hissed as she rose up and pulled Shenhua back across the floor to her and away from the vial.

Shenhua pulled another throwing knife from her shapely thigh and threw it at Cobrina. The blade cut into the snake woman's wrist, causing her to shriek and let go of the whip. Shenhua scrambled to get up and raced back towards the vial. But Cobrina had another surprise for her.

The second Shenhua grabbed the vial, a cobra slithered out of nowhere and sank it's fangs into her wrist.

"AAAHHH!" Shenhua cried out, quickly pulling another blade out and slicing the snakes head off.

"HA! Now you poisssoned, jussst like your boyfriend." Cobrina laughed as she walked over to her. "And that little sssnake wasss more poisssonousss than the one that bite him. Which meansss..." she said, doing some quick calculations in her head. "That you and your boyfriend will die... about the sssame time."

"No! Rock not die! Shenhua have antidote." the Taiwanese woman said as she held up the vial.

However, Cobrina just laughed.

"Why laugh?" Shenhua asked.

"Becaussse..." she said, as he hand suddenly lashed out with her whip, snapping at the vial in her hands, causing her to drop it down one of the larger cracks in the floor. "There Isss No Way I Am Letting You Sssave Him! You will die, but alssso with the knowledge that you couldn't sssave the one you care for! You have failed... old friend!"

"No. No!" Shenhua cried out, dropping to her knees as she stared at the crack in the floor, while Cobrina's mocking laughter filled the chamber.

The failure of her mission washed over her in waves. There would be no way to save Rock's life now. He would die this time... because she had failed. Tears fell from her eyes for the first time since she could remember. Images of Rock, the kindest, most respectful, most honest and most decent person she had ever known, was going to die, because she couldn't save him.

Cobrina's revenge was truly complete now. She, Shenhua, would die... but not without taking Cobrina with her.

In an instant Shenhua leaped back onto her feet and slammed her fist into Cobrina's face. The snake woman was stunned, to say the least, but had no time to recover as the punch was followed up by another punch, and another, and another. The blows never struck the same place twice, Cobrina feeling pain from her face to her neck to her chest and stomach. Shenhua threw and uppercut that stumbled Cobrina backwards, then crouched low in order to leap into the air and thrust her leg out directly into Cobrina's face. The impact sent Cobrina flying against one of the statues of the old temple, crashing hard into it as she slumped to the ground.

However, what neither of them realized was that the statue Cobrina had landed against was directly over an underground river that had eroded away most of the dirt over time. It had been in a fragile state for a long time, but now, Cobrina's impact had loosened it just enough, causing cracks to form around the base, and drop both it and Cobrina, down into the swiftly moving underground river.

"Wha... NOOOOO!!" Cobrina shouted as the floor gave way and dropped her and the statue into the fast moving water.

Shenhua stared at the hole with a strange sense of closure. But that changed when she looked down and saw the bite marks on her wrist.

"Rock." she whispered. "Rock going to die."

(I know.) A familiar voice said from behind her.

Shenhua gasped when she realized two things. 1-the voice belonged to Rock. And 2-he was speaking Taiwanese.

(Rock? What are you doing here?) She asked in Taiwanese. (And when did you learn to speak Taiwanese?)

(I started learning it when I first met you.) he said as she slowly walked into the temple chamber. (But I never thought it would be the last language I ever spoke.)

(You overheard what Cobrina said.) She stated.

(I did.) He replied.

(I'm sorry I couldn't...)

(Don't.) He said suddenly, stopping her. (I don't blame you for this. You did your best, on my behalf, and for that I'm grateful.)

(But... I couldn't save you.) she protested.

(It doesn't matter. I can't be bitter about that now. It would be a waste.)

Shenhua smiled at the seemingly calm attitude he possessed. But another thought popped into her mind. (How did you get in here? Where's Leigharch?) She asked.

(He popped a few of his special pills and passed out. When he did, I came looking for you.) he explained to her.

Shenhua grimaced at that seemingly laid back, irresponsible attitude her driver had.

(If I wasn't already dying, I'd kill him!) She spat. But then another thought came to her mind. (We're going to die... and soon.)

(I know. We'd never make it back to Roanapur in time. I guess this temple is going to be our tomb.) He said.

(Yes... and I'm so sorry, Rock!) Shenhua said as tears came down her cheeks once again.

Rock moved toward the Taiwanese woman and pulled her into a tight embrace. (It's alright, Shenhua. It's alright.) He said soothingly rubbing her back. (At least we won't die alone.)

A light came on over Shenhua's head as realization kicked in. _Yes. We're going to die. So we might as well make the most of it._ she thought as she lifted her head up and pressed her lips against his.

Rock froze as he felt Shenhua's soft lips touch his. _What is she doing? She's kissing me and... she's really good at this_. He thought as he pulled back. (Shenhua, what was...)

(We're going to die, Rock. And soon. But if we are to die... the last thing I wish to know in this life is the touch of a lover.)

(Shenhua...) He said softly, staring into her eyes and seeing the gentle pleading within. (I can't think of any better way to leave this world... than to make love to such a beautiful woman.)

Shenhua's eyes sparkled as Rock's lips met hers once more.

The pair kissed intently for several minutes, hands roaming all over their bodies as they slowly worked to remove their clothes. Shenhua pulled Rock's tie and shirt from his body, her hands gently running over his warm skin as he peeled the white jacket from her shoulders. The cheongsam she wore was cut high off her thighs, allowing Rock's hands to slide up and down her silky flesh as his mouth found his way to her neck. He paused when he felt a prick on his fingers.

"Ouch!" he gasped.

(Rock?) She asked, confused at his sudden pain.

(Sorry. You're knives.) He said to her, lifting his hands up to show small pinpricks where her throwing knives had jabbed him.

She apologized for that, by taking his hands and gently sucking on his fingers, taking his blood into her mouth as she did. The whole action was so sensuous to Rock, he could feel himself getting hard just watching her.

She smiled at him again, kissing his lips as she directed his hands up behind her neck to where the clasp for her dress was located. The upper part of the dress came loose, and Rock slowly helped her out of it. He froze as he just stared at the curvaceous figure the woman had, her firm, perky breasts, her flat stomach, long swimmers-like legs, flawless lightly tanned skin, and the only articles of clothing left on her body were her black panties and the bands that held up her throwing knives.

She quickly disregarded the bands and dropped them on her jacket. But when she went for her panties, Rock stopped her.

(Rock?)

(Allow me to do that.) He whispered into her ear, which sent a shiver down her spine.

Rock moved behind her and gently gripped the sides of the silky material. Slowly, almost teasingly, he pulled the underwear down until it was at her ankles, unaware of how hot she had gotten at having him do that.

Shenhua, now fully exposed to the man, turned around and presented her womanhood to him. Rock stared in awe at the one thing most men would kill to see, noticing that it was neatly trimmed and even clean, before moving in lap at her.

"AAAAAHHHHHHHH!!" she cried out as his tongue found his way to her most sensitive region.

She lost her balance and stumbled back, only to land against the lower, but large stone alter. She rose up and sat down on it, spreading her legs so that Rock would have unrestricted access. Rock smiled at the woman as he moved up to dive into her precious treasure once more.

Shenhua shrieked and moaned as her body shuddered uncontrollably at the intense sensations that Rock gave to her. Time seemed to pass slowly for the woman as she was eventually brought off.

"AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!! ROCK!!" she cried out, drenching him with her essence.

(Uh... Shenhua! Did you like that?) he asked in her native tongue.

(Yes... but it's your turn now, my love.) She said as she helped pull him up onto the alter. She helped him out of his pants and underwear and then straddled his body in a 69 position. He was already fully aroused at seeing the sexy woman fully naked before him, which worked to her advantage as she inserted his member into her mouth, plunging him as deep as she could take him.

"AH! SHENHUA!" Rock shouted as his body trembled with intense feeling.

The female knife fighter smiled as he screamed her name. Her tongue caressing his member like it was a popsicle as her mouth pulled a leech-like technique was felt both painful and pleasurable to the salaryman.

It was several minutes before Rock could no longer take it and came hard into the woman's mouth. Shenhua sighed with relief as she cleaned off his shaft. A few more minutes and she wouldn't have been able to continue. She spun herself around and straddled his stomach, staring into his eyes.

(Rock... I am ready. Are you?) She said to him.

(Yes. I am.) He said as he touched her cheek softly.

Shenhua moved her hips up to position herself over his member, guided by his hands, and came to a rest at her entrance. However, once there, Rock felt an unusual tension in her body. Seeing the curiosity in his eyes, Shenhua sighed as told him her deepest secret.

(Rock?)

(Shenhua, what is it?)

(I... this is my first time.)

Rock stared at the woman in shock. (You mean... ever?)

She nodded, feeling a little ashamed at that confession. (I have had boyfriends before... but we never went...all the way. You... will be my first.)

_That's why she seems nervous._ He nodded as lean up to kiss her cheek softly. (I'll be gentle. I promise.)

She smiled down at him as she let gravity have it's way with her, his member piercing her body and causing her to gasp in momentary pain when she quickly dropped onto him.

(Shenhua! Are you...)

(Yes. Good! It... I expected pain. But now... it feels really good.) She said as she looked down at him. (It's really like they all say. Having... someone inside you... it feels so good!)

Happy that she was no longer in any pain, Rock took hold of her hips and started pumping up as she rolled her supple curves in time with his body.

(Yes! It's good! So good! I'm feeling... really good! It's incredible!) She moaned sensuously as her body started moving faster and faster against him.

(God! I never thought... we'd end up like this... Shenhua!) Rock said as her breasts came down to rub fiercely against his chest.

(Making love... in an ancient temple... right before... we die... you mean?) She said wrapping her arms tightly around his body as he turned her over so that he was on top.

(Yes. But I'm not going to die until I've satisfied you, my sexy Shenhua!) He grunted as he pounded her body as much force as he could muster.

(YES! YESS!! MORE! DON'T STOP! IT'S... IN... CREDIBLE!!) She cried out at first, as her lips her hungrily claimed by Rock's.

(I'm going to come! Shenhua!) He whispered hotly into her ear.

(Yes! Now! Together!) She cried out as they came in one unified release.

Their voices pulsated the chamber, reverberating through the temple with the force of a small earthquake. Any birds or animals outside or around the temple scattered at the intensely loud noise.

Rock fell against Shenhua, both panting heavily as their arms were wrapped tightly around their hot, sweaty and naked bodies.

(Oh, God, Rock! That was... oh god!) She panted heavily.

(I know... you're... amazing, Shenhua.) He said, gasping for breath as well.

(If we keep this up... we're going to die.)

The pair looked at each other and just laughed.

(We're not dead yet, my sweet. Ready to go again?)

She smiled at him as she leaned up to kiss him softly. (Yes.)

The pair made love several more times that day, preforming every technique and maneuver either of them could think of, pushing past their exhaustion from one round to the next. Only because they knew they would soon pass on to the next world. But at the very least, they would go together.

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It was past midnight when Shenhua's eyes blinked open. She looked around and slowly, achingly, rose up to see Rock's body lying still on the stone alter. A tear fell from her eye, realizing that she had somehow been spared the pain of death. But Rock had not. She gently drew her hand across the gentle features of his face all the way down to his chest... where she stopped and gasped.

_A... a heartbeat?_ She gasped, feeling a small 'thump' reverberate through his chest to her fingers. "Rock? Rock!" she shouted, shaking his shoulders and rousting him out of his deep slumber.

"Oh what?" (Shenhua? What happened? Why... are we... dead? Is this the afterlife?)

(No. I don't think so.) She said, looking around to see that several candles were still burning, but that they were burning inside the temple chamber where they had made love to each other. Their clothes were still on the ground, and one of the statues was gone.

The one that Cobrina had fallen in to and was swept away with by the underground river.

(We're alive. But... how?) Rock asked.

(I don't know, but... Cobrina's snake venom should have killed us. We were both injected with it.) Shenhua thought.

(Yeah. Enough venom to kill us... at the same time.) Rock mused. (That... that's it. It has to be!)

(What are you talking about?)

(When we made love to each other, the venom was already in our bodies. Somehow... they must have counteracted each other. Canceled each other out. I mean... it's the only thing I can think of.)

(Poison to kill poison. It's... an old theory, but one that's never actually been used.)

(Well, it's been used now.) Rock said as he jumped off the alter and quickly grabbed his clothes. He paused halfway in his dressing as he noticed that Shenhua wasn't moving. (Shenhua, what's wrong? You seem... sad.)

(I just thought... we were going to die. That we... would die together. That maybe... we would be together. I just...) She said softly, her voice seeming to break.

Seeing her distress, Rock walked back over to the alter and helped her down onto her feet.

(And you think that just because we're alive now, means that we can't be together?)

She looked up at him with a confused look.

(This whole thing had a lot of meaning to me, Shenhua. I got to know you better than I ever have before. I don't want to throw that away, thinking this was just a one time thing.) He said, smiling.

(Rock...)

(We're alive. We have our lives ahead of us. We didn't die together, but now we get the chance to live together. So... do you want to try?)

Shenhua's lips broke into a smile as she threw her arms around the salaryman. While most people would have sworn that Shenhua was a strong, fierce woman, unafraid of anything, it was little known that she did have a fear. A fear of being alone. That fear had now passed as she enjoyed the warm embrace of her new lover.

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Author's Notes:

Alright. Here's my Rock/Shenhua story. I tried to keep Shenhua in character as best as possible, which was difficult since I've never seen the anime or read the manga. Still, I hope everyone liked this story and will give me good reviews for it. And with any luck, this is the first Rock/Shenhua story to be written on this site.

And yes, I intentionally uploaded this on 8-8-08 on purpose!


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